#Create partition mac external drive mac os#
#Create partition mac external drive Pc#

If you want maximum reach, Mac OS Extended (Journaled) is the right choice.īelow the file system format, the Disk Utility dialog box will list another contextual menu, the partition map scheme, which gives you another great tool to create targeted volumes.

APFS ( macOS High Sierra’s new file system)īe aware that APFS is compatible only with macOS High Sierra and higher, so earlier versions of OS X or macOS won't mount an APFS volume.

Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled, Encrypted).

Mac OS Extended (Case-sensitive, Journaled).

When formatting or erasing a volume with Disk Utility, you'll see a format menu prompt asking you to choose from: Now you know which partitioning map is which, the next time you insert an external drive or want to partition the built-in storage disk of the Mac, it will be easier to choose between the available options. It is currently used for Windows partitions formatted as MS-DOS (FAT) or ExFAT.

#Create partition mac external drive Pc#

Introduced by IBM in 1983 to support the 10MB hard disk, the Master Boot Record is a type of boot sector developed for use with IBM PC systems. While Intel-based Macs generally boot from a GUID Partition Table, they are all able to start the operating system from APM and Master Boot Record (MBR) using the BIOS-Emulation called EFI-CSM. Starting with OS X Tiger, both APM and GUID partitions can be used for accessing volumes, but PowerPC-based Macs can only boot from APM disks. Used on disks formatted for use with 68k and PowerPC Macs, the Apple Partition Map is the scheme that defines how the data is organized. Non-Intel Macs won't support this bootable standard, hence the only option available to them is the Apple Partition Map (APM). As part of the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) standard, GUID is a bootable standard for systems with EFI firmware such as macOS.

This is a standard for the layout of the partition table on a storage disk using globally unique identifiers (GUIDs). On every drive there are multiple partitions, and for this you will need a partition table or partition map – maintained by the operating system – to detail the status of the partitions. The fixed-sized subset of a disk drive treated as an individual unit by the operating system (in our case macOS) is defined as a partition.

In this article we will explain what a partition scheme is and which one to pick when formatting a drive. When you attach a storage disk to a Mac with the purpose of erasing or repartitioning it, you'll be presented with the option of selecting one of the three available partition maps: GUID Partition Map, Master Boot Record, and Apple Partition Map.